Honestly, if you missed the Concacaf Champions Cup last February, you missed one of the weirdest, most "Concacaf-y" series we've seen in a while. Most people outside of Guatemala or the Pacific Northwest probably didn't have Antigua GFC vs Seattle Sounders on their 2025 bingo card. It was a matchup between a team from a UNESCO World Heritage site and a club that thinks winning continental trophies is its birthright.
It wasn't just a game; it was a total culture shock for the Sounders' new-look roster.
The Sounders went into that first leg in Guatemala having just dropped serious cash on Paul Arriola and Jesús Ferreira. People were skeptical. Could they actually gel? Apparently, the answer was "yes," and it only took about 156 seconds to prove it. Arriola scored the fastest competitive debut goal in Sounders history. It was a deflected loop that felt like a lucky break, but in a stadium like Estadio Pensativo, you take whatever the soccer gods give you.
Why the First Leg Was Closer Than the Scoreboard Says
Don't let that 3-1 score in Guatemala fool you. Antigua GFC was annoying. Like, "mosquito-at-a-barbecue" annoying. They didn't just sit back and pray; they pressed.
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Stef Frei, who usually has the nerves of a lighthouse keeper, had a moment of pure panic after a bad back-pass from Jackson Ragen. He almost gifted Antigua an equalizer. Eventually, the Guatemalans did get one through Óscar Santis in the 24th minute. He basically ghosted Nouhou—who, let's be real, had a bit of a "lost at sea" moment on that play.
The turning point was Pedro de la Vega.
The kid is a spark plug. He hit a "banger" from outside the box in the 61st minute that took a deflection and just died in the top corner. It was one of those goals where you just know the other team’s spirit is broken. Albert Rusnák added a third in stoppage time, but the real story was how Antigua’s quick transitions kept exposing Seattle's high line. If Antigua had a clinical finisher, that game ends 3-3.
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The Return Leg at Lumen Field
By the time the series shifted to Seattle on February 26, the vibe was different. It was 50 degrees, clear, and felt like a typical Wednesday night in the Emerald City. Antigua GFC had a mountain to climb, and they tried to climb it with a counter-attacking style that worked for about 44 minutes.
- Pedro de la Vega scored again in the 24th minute.
- José Gálvez stunned the crowd with a volley right before halftime to make it 1-1 on the night.
- Paul Arriola finally iced it in the 53rd minute after a slick pass from Ferreira.
The Sounders ended up winning 6-2 on aggregate. It sounds dominant, and on paper, it was. But if you watched the match, you saw an Antigua side that actually outshot Seattle 17 to 16 in the second leg. That’s wild. A Guatemalan underdog coming into Lumen Field and matching the Sounders shot-for-shot? You don't see that often.
Antigua GFC vs Seattle Sounders: The Fallout
This series was basically the launchpad for the "De la Vega Era" in Seattle. Before this, he was a guy with a high price tag and a lot of injury questions. After scoring in both legs against Antigua GFC, the narrative flipped. He became the undisputed MVP of that opening round.
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For Antigua, it was a "what if" scenario. They proved they could hang with MLS elites in terms of possession and creativity, but they lacked the depth to survive 180 minutes. Their captain, José Ardón, was a warrior in the back, but when you're facing a front four of Morris, Ferreira, Arriola, and De la Vega, someone is eventually going to find a gap.
Seattle moved on to face Cruz Azul, but the Antigua series was where they actually found their identity for the 2025 season. It was the first time we saw that "FC Dallas connection" between Arriola and Ferreira actually work in a Rave Green kit.
What You Should Take Away From This
If you’re looking at future matchups between MLS and Liga Nacional teams, don't sleep on the Guatemalans. The gap is closing, mostly because teams like Antigua GFC are no longer scared to press high and force turnovers.
If you want to keep an eye on how these teams evolve, here is what to do next:
- Watch the young talent: Keep tabs on Obed Vargas. His two assists in the first leg showed he's matured way beyond his years.
- Check the schedule: Look for Antigua's next run in the Central American Cup. They’ve rebuilt their squad since the Seattle loss and are currently one of the most stable clubs in Guatemala.
- Scout the imports: Seattle’s success came from aggressive offseason trades. If your team is struggling, look at how the Sounders leveraged intra-league experience (Arriola/Ferreira) to bypass the usual "MLS adjustment period."
The series proved that in Concacaf, pedigree gets you into the tournament, but clinical finishing is the only thing that gets you out of the first round alive.